STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Each student must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with regard to total credit hours in course work.

Students are expected to begin their training in the fall semester. It normally requires four to five years to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. However, holders of M.S., M.P.H., M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or similar degrees, on recommendation of the program governing committee, may be admitted in advanced standing, allowing completion of the Ph.D. program in a shorter period of time.

Entering Nutrition Health Sciences students take required coursework during the first year. Prior related coursework may be substituted for any of these classes, by agreement with the Director of Graduate Studies.

In general, all NHS students take the same classes during the first semester. In the second semester, different courses are required of students depending on their subspecialty. Group One is typically taken by students who plan to conduct clinical and/or biochemical research while Group Two is typically taken by students likely to pursue population-based research.

The required TATTO training program is offered in the summer between the first and second years, and students are assigned to be teaching assistants in one course during their second year. This assignment is made by the GDBBS.

Students in years two and beyond will develop a customized set of electives, to be agreed upon by the student, the thesis mentor, and the Director of Graduate Studies, that will provide the appropriate background for the student’s thesis work. These electives may be taken from the relevant offerings of any of the graduate or professional programs at the University.

Students are required to take the graduate seminar class for a total of 3 years (2 years at the introductory level and 1 year at the advanced level).

In the second year, students continue to take NHS 570r Introductory Graduate Seminar in both the Fall and Spring semesters, and to participate in Lab Rotations. Students in Group I are strongly encouraged to take IBS 555/556: Basic Biomedical and Biological Sciences I/II. Students are expected to complete at least three rotations, using these experiences to explore opportunities for thesis work and to expand their own skills across the discipline of human nutrition.

In the third year, students take NHS 570r Advanced Graduate Seminar in both the Fall and Spring semesters. Students are expected to have completed all the other formal requirements of the program except for their thesis work by this time.

Students are required to take at least 4 advanced courses (totaling at least 12 credit hours) in or closely related to their area of concentration. The courses are selected by the graduate student in consultation with the student's advisory committee and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are encouraged to continue to take courses throughout their tenure at Emory and to explore the wide range of offerings throughout the University, recognizing that not all courses are taught every year. Following are examples of courses which are particularly appropriate for advanced study in the Nutrition and Health Sciences Program: